Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Libreville Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Libreville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Libreville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,557 in Libreville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,548 in Libreville, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 17% cheaper than Libreville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Libreville is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

-33.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$72.1 FCFA 40.7K

-34.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$15.86 FCFA 8,953

-25.91%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.34 FCFA 3,580

-35.02%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.77

$1.76 FCFA 992

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$1.50 FCFA 847

-39.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.07 FCFA 606

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.91 FCFA 1,078

270.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.48

$3.11 FCFA 1,754

-45.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$1.21 FCFA 684

77.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$4.13 FCFA 2,332

-57.14%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.82

$5.60 FCFA 3,162

-49.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.51 FCFA 5,935

-12.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$8.82 FCFA 4,978

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$26.81 FCFA 15.1K

-52.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.12 FCFA 1,762

-5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$4.09 FCFA 2,307

-61.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$3.61 FCFA 2,039

-38.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.14

$3.63 FCFA 2,048

-34.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.85

$3.17 FCFA 1,788

-37.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.62

$4.54 FCFA 2,564

-56.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.27 FCFA 1,280

-45.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.67 FCFA 941

-27.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$2.68 FCFA 1,511

71.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$11.77 FCFA 6,644

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$0.95 FCFA 534

77.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$1.30 FCFA 736

113.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$0.91 FCFA 516

-34.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$48.61 FCFA 27.4K

-38.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$1.37 FCFA 773

282.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$0.71 FCFA 403

414.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$17.39 FCFA 9,814

-66.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.15 FCFA 650

33.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.8K MX$387.3K

$30.3K FCFA 17.1M

-24.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$23.0K FCFA 13.0M

12.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$90.7 MX$1,540

$89.8 FCFA 50.7K

0.97%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.19 MX$428

$35.18 FCFA 19.9K

-28.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$66.6 FCFA 37.6K

-52.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$65.7 FCFA 37.1K

4.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$26.47 FCFA 14.9K

10.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$4.59 FCFA 2,593

5.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$226 MX$3,834

$179 FCFA 101.3K

25.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$5,689 FCFA 3.2M

-26.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$89.4 FCFA 50.5K

-47.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$43.60 FCFA 24.6K

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$53.8 FCFA 30.4K

49.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$106 FCFA 60.0K

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,052 FCFA 593.8K

3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,942

$444 FCFA 250.7K

-7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,122 FCFA 1.2M

-7.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$885 FCFA 499.4K

44.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$3,592 FCFA 2.0M

12.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$2,816 FCFA 1.6M

138.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$443 FCFA 250.0K

74.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.5

-0.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Libreville: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,052 in Libreville. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 75% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $72.0 in Libreville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $389 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Libreville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $1,567 in Libreville – roughly 20% apart. Libreville costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,350 in Libreville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,567 in Libreville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Libreville at $1,567. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Libreville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,567 in Libreville. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Libreville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.